When my mother was in her 90s, we were reflecting on her life. There had been so many joys, but also significant sorrows.
I asked her if she would have wanted to know in advance what was going to happen. She immediately said, “Oh no! I didn’t have to worry about the bad things. And the joys were even more exciting when they were surprises.”
She told me God was so merciful in how He balanced everything out with His Perfect Timing.
Anytime something bad happened, my mother would think of another challenging time in the past and say, “Isn’t it good that this is not happening at the same time as that!”
She also used that as a springboard to remind me of all the things God had brought us through. She would smile and say, “Don’t worry. He will do it again. He’s got a Plan and it’s a good one.”
I have reflected on her words a lot recently. I try to live into her legacy of optimism. But I got a heavy dose of my father’s DNA too. He was a self proclaimed worrier.
He said, “They say what you worry about never happens, so I try to worry about everything I can!”
Being a nurse unfortunately has provided me with plenty of things to worry about. Before I became a nurse, I never knew so many horrible things could happen to humans! I never knew there were things nurses, doctors and dentists could not fix.
But now I do know, and with every change in my body, I begin to imagine the worst case scenario. I fall into the trap satan set for me.
I give away the joys of today for the fear of a tomorrow no one but God knows. I hear my mother saying, “Stop it!”
And I also hear Jesus saying,
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life.
Which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
Seek first The Kingdom of God and His Righteousness and all these things will be added to you.
Do not be anxious about tomorrow!
Matthew 6:25, 27, 33-34
As I was obsessing about the latest health challenge, God mercifully and gently underscored His Words and my mother’s by leading me to a song by His Children. It blessed me. I share it with you!
